Finding Home
by Ninkita
Summary: I meet her in the pouring rain; I fall in love with her sunshine. She shares her dreams and steals my heart; Oh, how I wish I could make her mine. A FAGE 11 story for Rebadams7
1. Chapter 1: The Girl

**FAGE 11. Are You In…?**

**Title: Finding Home**

**Written for:**** Rebekah Lynn Adams/Rebadams7**

**Written By: Ninkita**

**Rating: M**

**Prompt used:** **Sudden downpour**

**_If you would like to see all the stories that are a part of this exchange visit the Facebook group_**_ '**Fanficaholics Anon: Where Obsession Never Sleeps', or add the C2 to get all the stories direct to your inbox.**_

**A/N: **This is my first FAGE (Fic Awesome Gift Exchange), and it was so much fun (though I didn't think I'd get it written in time)! As always, NewTwilightFan and purpleC305 beta/pre-read and assured me it was good to go.

I hope you enjoy this, Rebekah!

**1\. The Girl**

It's early, the purple-grey twilight before dawn. The rumble of my truck cuts through the stillness, the bright beams of my headlamps slicing through the wispy, wet fog.

I've barely navigated out of the rutted farm track and onto the paved main road, when the fog gives way to a light patter of rain. It's a mere drizzle, but as I cross through the tiny hamlet and head onto the open road, the droplets illuminated by the truck's lamps seem to gather strength. They're pinging wildly off my windscreen, and I start my wipers on low. As mile after mile passes beneath the wheels of my truck, I think back on the mess I left behind at Jasper's place.

People and their messes... I might try to steer clear of the drama, but sometimes there just isn't any getting away from it. For Jasper, my only brother, I would happily wade through a bog of messes. But every man has his limit, and this is mine.

I still don't know what he sees in Maria. To put it plainly, she's demanding and controlling, but beyond all that, there's just something about her that makes me uneasy. Even so, to actually convince my own brother to talk to me, to ask about... this... is beyond all bounds of freaking decency. Or indecency. I grimace and decide to stop ruining my morning on problems with no good solutions. I have enough on my mind without worrying about my brother's stupidity.

I shift in my seat and focus on the road through the now steady fall of rain. There isn't another soul out on the roads this early, but I still drive at a sedate pace. Sometimes you get the odd deer dashing around this stretch, and I'm in no mood to clear roadkill off my truck. I round a bend and the rain is now loud enough to drown out the low hum of the radio. The wind picks up its game as well, and I flick the wipers on high. Visibility isn't the best, but fortunately I know this road like the back of my hand.

A sudden movement up ahead has me slowing down further. My headlights pick out a huddled… something by the side of the road. It seems to be moving, an indistinct grayish blur. I frown and bring my truck abreast with it.

"Oh thank God!" a distinctly feminine voice exclaims, as soon as I roll down the window a crack. "Please, can I..?"

"Get in," I cut her off, because it's a freaking downpour and it's giving me the shivers seeing how wet she is. Thankfully, she doesn't argue.

I let the truck idle as she jumps into the passenger side of the cab. Water drips off her fingers as she pushes back the hood of her coat. Water streaks her face and runs through her hair, all of it making an almighty wet mess in my truck. I probably have some old towels or blankets or something in the back that I could offer her to dry off. But right now, I'm far too distracted to take my usual, practical course.

For one, this girl is beautiful in a way that disarms me. Pink lips, brown eyes, and the sweetest smile I've ever seen. I have the strangest desire to take her in my arms and spend the next thirty or forty years just looking at her, tracing the path of each lazily meandering droplet.

Then, there's the matter of the small, damp cardboard box she pulls out from under her coat. She pokes at it, sighing in relief when three small yellow heads pop up. "Oh I was so worried about you guys," she coos. "You didn't get too wet, did you?" She looks up then and smiles winningly, as though certain that I'll share her relief at the fate of the little chicks in the box. "The rain came down so fast, and out of nowhere! I hid them under my coat, but I really didn't know if they'd stay dry." She sighs and goes back to petting the little baby birds.

A loud boom of thunder startles me out of my stupefaction, and I shake my head to get my bearings.

"Miss, I don't know where you're headed, but this is shaping up to be a storm you don't want to be out in." The wind whips a flurry of raindrops against my truck, making us rock a little. "I'm on my way to my farm, it's about two miles or so from here. It's the closest safe place where you can dry off and wait this out."

She's pulled in her lower lip and seems to be gnawing on it, which is strangely… alluring. I frown, because what on earth am I thinking? Thankfully she doesn't take long to make up her mind. With a decisive nod, she says, "I think you're right. If you are sure it won't put you out to help me?"

I merely nod and turn back to the road.

"I'm Bella," she says with a shiver.

"Edward," I respond, turning up the heat.

We don't speak for a few minutes, and I'm grateful for the relative silence. It's bad enough that I can barely see the road through the constant rain; I don't want to give in to the added distraction of wanting to know everything about this girl. Why is she out here in the middle of nowhere? Why was she walking? Did her car break down? I didn't see anything on my way, but it could've happened beyond the turnoff where I joined the main road. And why does she have a box full of chicks? Where's she going?

It's a relief to see the turnoff for my farm. Unlike Jasper's place, I've made sure my road is free of potholes. I try not to notice the way Bella peers around as we approach the homestead, her eyes so eager and interested.

I pull into the large garage, and it's a little startling, the sharpness of the quiet after the constant clatter of rain beating against the truck. I quickly jump out and jog over to her door. I don't know her story, and I don't know how long she was out there in the rain, but I'm pretty sure she needs to dry off immediately.

"Come on," I say, taking the damp box from her hands. "You better get warmed up."


	2. Chapter 2: The Story

**2\. The Story**

I might grumble every time I have to clean the thing, but fireplaces do have their uses. Right now, it's casting an altogether cheery glow over an otherwise gloomy morning.

The girl… Bella has commandeered the downstairs bathroom, which is fine by me. I offered dry clothes, but she insisted she probably had something in her small black duffle bag that wasn't completely soaked through. I didn't argue, but I did hand over a warm sweatshirt, just in case.

She's left her pets with me, and the first thing I do once I've got the fire going is to get them out of the box. The damned thing is damp and practically crumbling in places. It's actually a wonder it hasn't already disintegrated. I tuck them into the front pocket of my hoodie while I look around for something that'll do as a temporary pen for them.

I catch sight of a nearly empty egg carton on the counter. One of the downy chicks pokes out of my pocket and cocks its little head.

"Don't judge," I mutter, quickly emptying the carton and carefully placing the chicks into it. There are three tiny chicks and ten empty spaces, and I watch in amusement as they excitedly hop and flap and chirp from one pocket to the next. When they seem to have thoroughly explored their new home and are settled into adjoining spots, I pick up the carton and bring it with me to the living room. It isn't exactly a contained pen, so I don't want to risk putting it too near the fire. Ultimately, I just place it on the coffee table. It's close enough to the fire that they'll be warm, and Jake knows not to poke around things I put there, so they should be alright.

Which reminds me… "Come here, boy, let's get you fed."

Jake hasn't quite figured out his stand on our visitors yet. He hasn't tried to eat the chicks, but he growls every time they start cheeping too loud. His opinion of our _other_ guest is not quite so dubious.

Momentarily distracted from the newcomers by the thought of food, he huffs and follows me into the corner of the kitchen that he's taken for his own. He refuses to eat elsewhere; he dragged his bed there himself, and he's got an army of toys defending his space. For a small dog, he has a big personality.

He's on the bowl of food almost before I've finished pouring, so I leave him to it. He'll probably flop onto his bed in a food coma for an hour after he's done.

"Hey, thanks for this," a sweet, feminine voice stops Jake and me in our tracks. He actually stops crunching and looks at her with a tiny wag of his puffy tail and some drool dripping from the side of his mouth. "My clothes were almost all soaked through. Um, is there a laundry room where I could dry them?"

"Of course, right this way," I gesture down the hallway, flicking on the lights to the small room. It's just big enough for the washer, dryer, and one human being, so when there are the two of us in there, it's a bit… snug. She comes even closer and reaches over to open the hatch of the dryer, and it's like the air is sucked out of the place. I can smell the fresh, clean scent of her, like rainwater and something faintly floral. I can feel the warmth of her body, and it makes me want to… grit my teeth and hold my breath and get the hell out of here.

I need to get a grip. Preferably on my dick.

"Coffee?" I ask, almost gasping in relief when she moves away, back towards the kitchen.

"Sure," she replies with a smile. "Or actually, do you have any tea? I mean, I'm fine with coffee, but this is tea weather."

"It is?" I clear my throat and bring my brain and body back to the mundane. "It is. I… ah, I think I do have some tea bags. Why don't you head into the living room and I'll bring it over in a minute."

Jake tosses me a judgy look over his shoulder before he returns his attention to his food, but we both know he's not as cool as he looks. He tried to snuggle up to Bella when she entered, and she was dripping wet at the time. He's such a dog.

Predictably, he follows me into the living room when I bring in the tea. Even snags a spot at her feet.

"Oh, he's such a darling," she exclaims, laughing and reaching down to scratch behind his ears. He's in bliss. "Such a good boy, warming my feet! You're a good boy, aren't you, Jakey?"

I want to roll my eyes at the way he's eating up the attention. She's just a girl. A pretty one, but still.

One of the chicks wakes up and cheeps sleepily when I move the carton a little to make space for the tray I'm carrying. Jake perks up, but subsides when he sees Bella reach out to pet the bird.

I silently hand her a mug and nudge the plate of sandwiches towards her. "Have one. They're just PBJ, but…" I glance at the chicks. "I didn't think eggs would be appropriate right now."

Her eyes glow and her grin warms me quicker than the fire. "Thank you! The way things have been going wrong, one after the other, I can hardly believe I'm here, safe and warm, and you're feeding me!" She waves a sandwich around as proof. "It's just… I really appreciate it. Thank you."

My ears get a bit hot.

"Now don't ruin my day by turning out to be a pervy serial killer."

I nearly choke on the bite I had just taken. "I'll make a note of that," I promise when I can talk again.

She smiles and I have to blink and look away. That's what you do when the sun suddenly shines down all bright and beautiful, right? It's called good sense. Also, self preservation.

I clear my throat. "Now that we've established that I'm not some kind of perv who lured you here to have my wicked way with you…"

"I'm taking your word for it, but only because you fed me!" she interjects. "And I like your dog."

"…I have a few questions. You don't need to answer them, but maybe I can help."

She nods and sips her tea, so prim, yet there's a gleam in her eye that makes my heart skip a beat.

"Why were you out walking this early? Where are you headed? I mean, I don't want to pry, but what're you planning to do once the rain stops? Is there a vehicle I should look into having towed or something?"

Her expression shifts. I see a thoughtful look in those brown eyes, before she shifts to look into the fire. Her lips twist into a rueful smile. "It's kind of a long story, and we're on a farm, right? I have zero problems telling you my story," she clarifies, looking back at me with raised eyebrows. "But don't all farmers have like, super busy schedules? I'm not keeping you from something important?"

I shake my head. "No, I actually wasn't supposed to be home today, so my guys will have taken care of everything. I have time."

"Well, then," she straightens up and turns to face me, tucking one leg under her. "It all started yesterday. Or years ago, maybe. See, there really is no way to shorten this story."

"I'm listening."


	3. Chapter 3: The Adventure

**3\. The Adventure**

"I was born in Forks, Washington. It's near Seattle."

"That's about a ten, maybe twelve hour drive from here," I muse.

"That sounds about right. So, the situation was, my parents separated when I was about 5, and I spent the next twelve years or so with mom. We moved around a lot, until she remarried. Then I moved back to Forks with my dad, completed high school, and then moved out again for college."

I nodded to let her know I was following the story so far, though I didn't really see what that abbreviated background had to do with how I found her.

"I've been living and working in Chicago for the last few years, but lately I've been thinking. Reevaluating my life, maybe? Just, trying to figure out if this is where I want to be, if this is really what I want to do with my life."

"Sorry for interrupting, but… what _do_ you do?"

"Oh, I'm a software developer; or I was, anyway. I make a good living and I'm good at my job, but I need more from my life than a computer screen can give me. But my boss… and my last few relationships…" she shakes her head expressively. I don't even know how a headshake can be so expressive, but there you have it.

"Anyway, I started having these recurring dreams. Not nightmares, you know, but sometimes, I'd wake up and remember every detail. Other times, it was just this unsettled feeling. Sometimes, I'd get flashes of a place, or a person, and it was so frustrating because I didn't know who or what it was supposed to be!" She's agitated just talking about it, eyes wide and hands flailing. It makes me want to take her in my arms... so I grab my mug of tea instead.

"It got to the point where I just couldn't carry on not knowing. So I told my best friend all about it, and she tried to help out," she smiles wryly.

"How?" I ask.

She grins and rolls her eyes. "Alice dragged me to every psychic, fortune teller, palmist, and tarot card reader she could find. It was... interesting."

"Did it help at all? I mean, did they tell you anything good?" I think I do an ok job of hiding my skepticism. I don't want to ruin her story, after all.

"I suppose you could say that. Well, all of them essentially told me the same thing. Something about choices and paths, and 'finding home'. The palmist was actually the least vague of the lot. She told me in so many words that it was time for me to get off my ass, out of my rut, and find the place my dreams were trying to show me. That it was time for me to take a leap of faith, and go find my purpose." I suppose the disbelief leaks into my expression, because she points at my face and nods emphatically. "Exactly! What the fuck, right?"

"Well, yeah," I shrug.

"Alice wouldn't give up, though. She actually tabulated everything they said, and I don't know, ran some kind of analysis, I think. I remember at one point she was waving an excel sheet in my face."

"She sounds… enthusiastic."

Bella giggles, and I find my lips curving up in response.

I think Jake gives a little doggy laugh and pretends to faint at the sight. He's not getting any treats today.

"She really is. But the way she was so convinced there was something to my dreams… her certainty got me thinking. What if there was something that I was missing out on? We started reading up on dreams and their interpretations, and what made the most sense to me was that it might have something to do with my past."

She shifts and bends her legs so both her feet are on the couch and she's facing me fully. I can't look away.

"I mean, my mom and I moved around so much… we were in a new city, a new state practically every year. I used to be a shy kid, but I got over that pretty quick. We had adventures everywhere we went… tried out new kinds of food, read up about every new place we lived in or passed through… met some really interesting people."

"That sounds great, actually," I comment.

"It was," she grins back. "I mean, all that moving around also gave me this overarching need for stability, but based on the state of my job, clearly that isn't working out so well for me. I started wondering if my dreams were harking back to one of those places. Maybe I subconsciously wanted or needed to go back, maybe there was something in my past that would help me make sense of my present."

"To figure out why you felt dissatisfied and restless?" I clarified.

"Exactly! And if I was supposed to be 'finding home' like all those fortune tellers said, maybe it was actually a home from my past."

I nod, because I can sort of understand her reasoning. It's still weird, and probably not what I'd do, but I get it.

"So I made a list of places we'd lived, and I started visiting each place one by one. Every vacation, every long weekend, every conference in a nearby town… I used any opportunity I could over the past year to go back." She sighs, a big sigh that seems to encompass her entire body, her chest rising and falling, her shoulders slumping on the exhale, even her eyes dim for a moment. "But I still haven't found it, whatever it is I'm looking for. I mean, I was really young when I was at some of these places, but I kind of thought I'd know it when I saw it, you know?"

"So now you're going back to the source… to Forks, where you were born," I surmise.

She nods and smiles. "But this time, I don't have to rush back to Chicago, because I quit. I'm moving to Forks, and I'm going to take my time figuring things out."

I raise an eyebrow. "Are you rich or something?"

She laughs and shakes her head. "Uh, no, but I've been saving. I can afford a few months off. Besides, I'm going to save on rent, living with dad."

I nod, and we're both quiet for a while, sipping on our tea and watching the rain rattling against the windows.

"I still don't know why you were out this morning in the middle of a Montana rain shower," I say at last, setting my empty mug down.

"Oh! Right," she exclaims. "So, as I told you, I quit my job. But my boss was being a little… overbearing, and I didn't want to deal with his creepy ass any longer. So I kind of rushed to the airport unprepared. I mean, no tickets, and Alice is doing me a huge favor by taking care of my apartment for now. Once I get to Forks, I'll figure out about getting movers or something."

One of the chicks chooses that moment to let out a loud and plaintive chirp, before head-butting its brother and pecking at him. Bella jumped up. "They should probably eat something. Hang on, I have a little corn meal," she called out from the kitchen. She's back in a few seconds, still rummaging through a small tan handbag that I hadn't noticed earlier. "Here," she coos, pouring small amounts of cornmeal from a small ziplock bag into the empty sections around the chicks. "That should keep you guys busy for a while!"

She settles back into her side of the couch and looks at me. "Where was I? Oh yeah, at the airport, buying a ticket to Seattle." She closes her eyes and drops her head against the back of the couch. "God, I would never have imagined it'd turn out to be such a complete shit show."

She's such a mix of matter-of-fact and dramatic. It makes me want to kiss her.

"So what happened at the airport?" I ask, trying not to focus on her lips.

"Well, I boarded the plane, but then after half an hour of just sitting around, we were asked to de-board. Someone said they had technical issues. One guy said he heard the pilot fell down and injured himself. Another one said the pilot was drunk and never showed up. The lady sitting next to me said it sounded like the pilot was hungover and fell down because of it." She shrugs. "I didn't really care, though. I wanted to be on my way, damn it!"

I try to hide my grin, because she is kind of adorable when she's riled up.

"What'd you do next?"

"They got us back on the plane after another half an hour, so things were back on track, right?" She raises a finger in emphasis. "Wrong! Because the next thing I know, I'm jolted awake by the woman in the seat next to mine screaming in my ear. The flight had to make an emergency landing. We had those oxygen masks drop down and everything. It was pretty intense."

"Wow, so where'd you guys land?"

"Sheridan, Wyoming," she replies. "Most of the other passengers were busy arguing with the airline, but I was too pumped for that. I mean, seriously, I decide to take an impromptu plane ride, and it transforms into a freaking adventure!"

I laugh and run my fingers through my messy hair. Her eyes definitely follow the motion. "Man, I would have probably lost my shit, not treated it as an adventure."

"That's why you'll probably go grey and I won't," she grins and winks. I think I forget to breathe for a moment.

"What'd you do next?"

"I decided to take a bus. I looked it up online this time, booked a seat and stopped at a diner to eat. But when I was walking from the diner to the bus station, I found these guys abandoned in an alley," she points at the chicks who have gorged themselves on the corn meal and are now well-fed, peaceful balls of fluff once again.

"And you decided to keep them?" I ask. "Why not just drop them off at the vet's?"

"What, so that the vet could have chicken soup in a few days? I think not!" she sounds indignant, though there's a definite laugh in her eyes. "Besides, I had a bus to catch. I didn't really give it much thought. I did google what chicks eat, and bought them the cornmeal. Then I put them into the cardboard box and tucked it under my coat. No one even knew!"

"I somehow find that hard to believe," I say, holding in my chuckles.

"No, really!" she exclaims, leaning forward to swat at my hand. I swear it tingles where she touches. "I got onto the bus, and no one suspected. It would have all been fine if these guys hadn't outed themselves. Yup, they decided to take a little walk," she nods. "I fell asleep and they got adventurous. Next thing I know, I'm jerked awake by screaming in my ear… again. The stupid man across the aisle had a phobia of chicks. Can you believe that? Is that even a thing?"

She seems to genuinely want an answer, but I don't have a clue. "I guess he has a very unfulfilling sex life, then," I mutter. "If he's straight."

Bella swats at my arm again, trying not to laugh. "You're so bad! My poor innocent baby chicks! They did cause me a bunch of trouble, though. I managed to round them up, but God, the amount of screeching and protesting about livestock on board, and who knows what else," she rolls her eyes. "I'm not even sorry that one of them jumped onto the man's arm and pooped on him."

I'm laughing so hard I'm wheezing at this point, and she's wiping away tears as well. Jake is startled out of his doze and yelps, swatting at the air. Then he looks around like the lunatic he is and trots off to the kitchen. I guess he needs to self-soothe with one of the twenty monkey toys he is so fond of.

"And that, my friend, is how I found myself tossed off the bus at the rest stop in nowheresville, Montana in the middle of the freaking night. I hid the idiot chicks again, and spent a couple of hours in the waiting room trying to rest and figure out a new plan. By the time it got near dawn, I had found out about a car rental place a few miles away. I was sick of sitting around, so I decided to just walk. It was great, fresh air, quiet country lanes, the whole shebang."

"Until it started to pour."

"Until it started to pour," she agreed. "And you rescued me."


	4. Chapter 4: The Farm

**4\. The Farm**

One rainy day turns into two, and when I tell her I'm going to work, she asks if she can come with. She is so excited about seeing a real live farm, I can't do anything but agree.

When she realizes I run an organic dairy along with mixed crop farming, she declares herself impressed. Then she spends the next four hours asking questions. What breed of cows do we have? What do they eat? How much do they eat? Where do I send all the milk? Had anyone ever actually stepped in cow poop? How gross was it?

The guys who work with me are at first bemused, and then captivated. It's hardly surprising. What is surprising is how quickly they back off and tone down the flirting when I glare at Mike's arm around her shoulder. She doesn't notice, but it helps me breathe a lot easier.

The third day, the rain clouds clear away, but still she stays. Jake is thrilled with all the extra attention, and her chicks are flourishing in their new pen, but I'm all mixed up inside. I barely know the girl, and yet we can talk for hours. I don't want her to go, but I have no claim to her. I have nothing to offer, for which she'll stay… besides, she has a plan. I can't help her with her soul searching dream chasing by keeping her here, assuming she'd agree to stay.

Thing is, I really want her to stay.

Every day I wake with a smile, followed by a swift dip in my gut at the thought that today might be the day she decides to leave. But every day she greets me with a smile and digs herself deeper into my life. I don't know why, but she stays.

Two weeks seem to pass by in the blink of an eye. Two weeks of having Bella in my house, on my farm, in my life. Two weeks of watching her, learning her, wanting her. She's funny, sometimes quirky, and never ever what I expect. For instance, today, she insisted on helping muck the stalls. I tried to warn her, but...

"The stench, Edward," she moans dramatically. "It singed my nose hair, I tell you! The phantom stench of the barn floor will follow me forever, I know it!"

"Hey, it wasn't that bad," laughs Seth, one of the younger guys. "You should've been here when Mike first joined us."

Mike groans and tries to hide his face.

"So Mikey here was put on milking duty, and the first cow he steps up to, kind of gives him this stare, turns around, and kicks him in the nuts! And while he's down, writhing in pain on the floor, she starts eating on his shirt."

Mike shudders. "That cow was pure evil. Every single day, she'd find new ways to torture me. Trust me, you had it easy."

Leah, Seth's sister and one of my best farmhands, pipes in, "Oh yeah, at least shit won't try to hump you, eh, Eric?"

This time, it's the lanky redhead who shudders. "God, don't remind me. I thought I had it good when I was taking care of the heifers, cause I didn't have to milk 'em, but man, was I wrong! I entered the barn one day, and started leading the heifers out to pasture. The minute I turned my back, one of them came right up to me, reared up, and started trying to hump me!"

Mike exclaims, "I thought she was trying to hug you!"

"Hug me? Yeah, right, I thought she was going to crush me and eat my liver to avenge her brethren. I turned vegetarian for a year after that, and I practically begged Edward to let me just work on the cropping. I absolutely refused to have anything to do with animals for a while, let alone heifers in heat."

Bella shakes her head at them. "Alright, you guys convinced me. But I really want to know what _his_ worst farm experience was." She's surreptitiously pointing at me, and I have to laugh at the way she's failing at subtlety. Of course, my farmhands are practically falling over themselves to share the juiciest story, but thankfully the rumble of an approaching vehicle interrupts story-time.

"Alright, people, get back to work," I straighten up, tossing aside the piece of hay I'd been chewing on while they wasted time jabbering.

"I'll just get it out of you later," Bella mutters as she walks past me, and I don't even bother to hide my grin. She's right, of course.

My grin turns to an involuntary grimace when I walk around the barn and see Jasper's truck in the driveway up front. My brother has a pretty sweet set up a few miles away, making artisanal cheeses, for which I provide the milk. He could've just dropped in to talk business, or maybe even to catch up, and I would've been thrilled to shoot the shit with him, but he's not alone. Maria's presence is a looming reminder of our last disastrous conversation that had me leaving their place before first light, two weeks ago.

At least something good came of that day, I muse.

I step forward, nodding at Jasper and ignoring the woman by his side… for now.

"Hey Edward," he steps up and gives me a quick half-hug. "You got a minute?" His eyes shift to her, and I wonder for the millionth time what he sees in her. She's alright to look at, pretty even. But I find it hard to get over the hard, calculating look in her eyes. I also really dislike the way she stares at me, unblinking. Why can't my brother see that?

"Well, it isn't the best time," I hedge. "We're really busy right now. Why didn't you call and come over for dinner or something?"

"Oh, cut it out, Edward," Maria steps up, winding her arm through mine. I step away and cross my arms, which makes her purse up her thin lips. "Fine. You've had two weeks to think about it. We need to know if you'll do it."

Jasper shifts uncomfortably. He opens and shuts his mouth, but ends up just shaking his head and looking away. I grit my teeth and try not to give in to the desire to shake some sense into him.

"Well, Maria," I say as pleasantly as I can to the woman I really want to throttle at the moment, "I didn't really need time to think it over. I believe my answer was quite clear the first time. In case you've forgotten, it was no. No to this, and no to your other proposition that night." Jasper's head jerks back to me in confusion. "Oh, I see she hasn't shared that with you. How strange. I thought you guys were a team, and had discussed everything together, and would never have dreamed of…"

"Edward?" Her voice stops me short. I don't want Bella anywhere near this mess. Yet it hits me in that moment that she's the one person I know I'd trust to have my back even in this completely fucked up situation. "There's a bit of a situation in the barn, you're needed there right away."

I start towards her at once, wondering what could have happened.

"Edward!" Jasper's voice is strained.

"I'll talk to you later, Jasper," I call over my shoulder. By the time Bella and I turn towards the barn, I can hear the receding sound of their engine. It's a relief, even though my chest still feels heavy with all the anger and frustration I never express about Jasper's situation.

"Ok, I think you should just come with me into the house for a moment," Bella stops me mid-stride and tugs me towards the house instead.

"What? Why?" I ask, confused. "I thought something was wrong in the barn?"

Bella sighs and shakes her head. "No, I just said that to get rid of them because I could see you were angry and uncomfortable."

"I'm ok, Bella. And thanks for rescuing me. I probably would have said or done something I'd regret," I tug at my hair and huff out a breath. "But I'm ok. I'll just get back to work."

"No, I need you to come with me," she insists firmly.

"Bella," I start, but then the words abandon me, because she tugs me close and presses her soft lips to mine. My lips are tingling when she lets go of me a moment later. "Oh."

"Yeah. I figured you wouldn't want an audience."

I nod. I'm not sure I'm up to processing this just yet. Also, I would like to do that again. My brain kicks into gear and this time I'm grabbing her hand and leading her to the house at a fast walk. Her giggles have turned into full blown laughter by the time I hustle her into the kitchen and press her up against the counter.

I take a moment to watch her face so animated and happy. I can't keep away, so I steal the laughter from her lips. I taste her happiness and it's more delicious than I could have imagined. The feel of her lips against mine, the way she feeds off my mouth, and the way our bodies strain to get closer… it's a lot more than just a kiss, and we both know it.

When we finally break away for air, her eyes are alight in that familiar way of hers. Her fingers stroke through my hair, which drives me wild with desire.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," she whispers. It takes me a few seconds to comprehend what she said, and when I do, I go rigid in her arms. I could not have heard that right.


	5. Chapter 5: The Way Home

**5\. The Way Home**

"You're leaving?" I repeat blankly. "Why?"

Her eyes are soft. "Because I need to do this."

I shake my head and I'm probably pouting like a spoilt kid, but I can't help it. She pecks my lips and tugs me along to the dining table. We turn two chairs towards each other and sit down. We're still holding hands.

"You could stay a little longer," I try not to sound too needy, but she can probably feel the desperation flowing off my body.

She grips my hands harder and takes a deep breath. "Yeah, but Edward… I'd probably never leave."

"Which is fine by me," I nod. "And Jake will back me up on this."

She giggles, and even in my despair it makes me smile. "Ok, what happened," I coax. "You haven't said a word about leaving the last two weeks. What changed? And I'm not just saying this because I want to kiss you a lot more. I'm saying this because I really like having you here."

"Don't freak out," she warns with a stern look and a pointy finger in my face. "But I'm just really happy here, ok. And since I came here, I haven't wanted to leave. I still don't, not really. But it's crazy, cause I barely know you, and what's wrong with you anyway, letting some random woman you picked off the side of the road just freeload for two weeks?"

"You're the one who's freaking," I say, sitting back and tipping my chin at her. "And you aren't random. I knew all about you within two hours of meeting you."

"That's because I told you my whole life story!" she exclaims. "And it was because of the fire, and the food and how hot you looked with that scruff and those eyes…"

"The scruff made you do it?" I rub my fingers along my jaw. "That's a new one."

"Shut it, mister," she tries to be stern, but I can see the amusement, and something else… affection maybe?

So I lean closer and ask her again, "What happened?"

"I was going to leave last week," she confesses. "But I kept finding excuses not to go. My dad's been texting, and I've been avoiding giving him a straight answer about when I'll get there. And Alice called just now to tell me she's got my stuff boxed up and ready to ship. I wanted to tell her to ship it here, and that brought me up short. Being here feels so right, but what am I doing? I like you, a whole lot, but how crazy is my behavior right now! Who does this?"

"Well, if you noticed, I wasn't exactly pushing you out of the door."

"Not yet, but you'd have called the local loony bin if I'd just moved in with all my stuff."

"Well, I don't know about that. Maybe we'd have to move some stuff around in the garage, but it could be done." I'm seriously considering it, and I'm pretty sure that means I'm as crazy as she is.

She's giving me the stern look again. "Edward, I'm going to leave tomorrow. I'm going to figure out what my dreams are telling me, once and for all. And then I'm coming back here, to you. If that isn't something you're interested in, if you think I'm making assumptions I shouldn't…"

I cut her off with a finger to her lips. Then I lean in to kiss her, because I really want to.

"I want you to come back. Actually, I don't want you to go, but I get it. So you come back as soon as you're done dream hunting. I'm going to wait for you. If you change your mind," I swallow painfully. "Just let me know, ok, because I'm going to wait."

"And if you change your mind," she pauses, and I swear I can hear her grind her teeth. "I will still come back and make a fool of myself."

There's no way I can hold back at a declaration like that. I'm not sure how, but we land up on the floor, my shirt untucked and half undone, her t-shirt blessedly missing, her body half on mine as we kiss like our lives depend on it.

I don't care, and neither does she, until she suddenly squeals and jumps off the floor. In her place, I see Jake sitting with a pretty smug expression.

"Jake, you wicked dog!" she exclaims, holding out a hand to help me up. "He poked his cold nose in the small of my back, can you believe it?"

"Knowing my dog, I actually find that very easy to believe," I groan. "Come on."

"Yeah?" she's smiling again, and I know she's with me.

We don't waste another second, racing to the top of the stairs, to my bedroom. As soon as we're in the room, I back her against the door. I kiss her again, locking the door before I run my hands over her face, her shoulders, her back, down to her curvy backside. She hitches a leg over my hip and shifts closer, a persuasive back and forth that has me erect and wanting in a matter of seconds.

She arches her back off the door, and I reach back to unsnap her bra. I stroke over the smooth skin of her back, up and down, loving the way she melts into my chest. Then I slide my hands around her waist, stroking up over her belly with my thumbs, higher and higher, till I feel the impossibly smooth and warm curve under her breasts.

My lips finally leave hers, and I lean back to watch. Her eyes grow darker as my fingers gently move up to trace the shape of her breasts, circling her nipples and watching in fascination as they grow harder each time I swipe over them. My touch grows firmer and more demanding with every pass, and before long, she's grinding desperately against me, head thrown back against the door, her hands tugging at my hair as I suck and lick my way across her chest.

Once again, I break away and try to rein in the craziness she brings out in me. I want to take this slow. I want to savor every moment, but damn, the sight of her desire, her body so close, so needy… it makes me want to rush.

"You plan on having me up against the door, Mr. Cullen?" she asks softly. Her sultry smile makes me want to do dirty, filthy, sexy things with her.

"I'd prefer to take my time with you, Miss Swan," I lean closer and grip her firmly around the waist. She lets out a startled laugh when I swing her around and settle her on the bed. She looks so good there, I never want to let her go.

I know she sees where my head's at, because she gives me the sweetest smile before getting rid of her jeans and underwear. Then she stretches, arching her back, giving me a show I'm not going to forget… ever.

Her hands trace over her own skin, showing me the things she loves about her body, the things that turn her on, the way she likes to touch herself…. I'm not even sure how I end up naked, but here I am, stroking myself with my knees planted on either side of her hips. She moans and sits up, trying to touch me, but I scoot back. It's beyond arousing to see the way she wants me, the way she's losing control.

"You want this?" I can barely recognize my voice. I doubt I've ever been so desperate to be with someone.

Her eyes meet mine in a moment of startling clarity, and she smiles. She shifts closer, on her knees now, till her heart is beating against my chest.

"Yes, Edward," she mumbles against my lips. "I want this. I want you."

Our kiss is just as hot as all the others, but somehow hits me deeper.

We lie down, and the smooth slide of her skin against mine is the most excruciating rapture I've known, but then she guides my cock into her heat, and I'm not thinking anymore. I'm feeling, and touching, and taking all the pleasure she's offering.

I lose sense of time as we touch, as I thrust into her body. Her orgasm transforms her into a transcendent being, a wonder in my arms. How do I hold such beauty?

I slow down, trying to stave off my own need to come. I need more. I need much more than this one day, or night, or whatever it is right now. I need her to stay. I need… her.

Our lovemaking is leisurely now, soft kisses and tender strokes over skin. My gentle touch barely disguises the passion that threatens to spark into an inferno at any moment. The way her fingers flex against my back, the way her nails dig into my ass… I know she's losing the same battle.

"Edward," she groans, "More."

I give in. Hard, long thrusts, fingers fisting the sheets, the taste of her lips. I orgasm to the sharp nip of teeth on my shoulder, and I realize she came again. She came with me.

When I can breathe again, I slip out of her and roll away with a laugh.

"Multiples, huh?" I chuckle.

"Yeah," she grabs a pillow from the floor where it must have fallen during our exertions. "I really do make you look good."

I grab her close and tickle till she squeals and kicks out wildly. "That's why I need you to stay," I deadpan, trapping her limbs with mine. "To let me practice giving you orgasms, and to kick me after."

"You're such a good student," she says seriously. Her eyes are sparkling in that way they have. "That's why I'm coming back."

I sigh, and in that moment, I truly believe she will. She snuggles close and we're quiet. It's nice.

"Hey, tell me something."

"What?" I ask, trying to commit the moment to memory.

"What's the deal with your brother, anyway?"

"Uh, I wasn't expecting that," I sit up, rubbing my face and shaking my head. "You want me to tell you that now?"

"Sure," she says, sitting up beside me and tucking the sheet primly over her chest. "From what I saw, they weren't done badgering you. I'm not going to be around the next few weeks, and I don't want you to have to deal with this alone."

I give her a look, but she just shoots my eyebrow down with hers. "Edward, I may not be here, but I'm going to be the best girlfriend ever, so deal with it. I'm not forcing you, alright. It's just, you might feel better for sharing whatever is troubling you."

"That's your idea of not forcing me?" I joke. Then I tug at the sheet. "Fine, but I will need your tits to get through this."

"By all means," she offers herself up like the delicious feast she is. I settle into a more comfortable position on my side, so I can touch her more easily.

"Jasper and I have always been close. But things have been changing over the past year, since he started dating Maria. I never told him, but she's hit on me in the past. I wasn't interested, and then she got together with Jasper, so I figured that was all past."

She frowns and grabs my hand, holding it to her breast. I tweak her nipple and she sticks her tongue out.

"About a month ago, Jasper came over and said there was some scheme he wanted us both to invest in. I said fine, give me the details and I'll look it over. But he was strangely insistent. Wanted me to commit to it right then, but that just struck me as odd, you know? He's never acted that way before. Then out of nowhere, he started talking about how Maria and he had been trying to conceive, and I was stunned! I mean, they aren't even engaged, they've been dating less than a year, what was this?"

"Sounds a bit unusual," she agrees.

"Unusual doesn't even begin to cover it," I mutter. "Apparently, they'd been unsuccessful, but Maria really wanted a baby, so he was essentially asking if I'd… donate."

"Sperm? Like, what was that again? Uh, I smell bullshit."

"Exactly! Anyhow, I promised to come over and discuss what it was he needed me to do. I finally went over two weeks ago."

"Oh!" she exclaims, and I nod. "So what happened there that night?"

"They gave me the same story about wanting a kid. I said I'd support them in whatever they decided, but it seemed they were being premature in assuming they needed medical assistance. Then Maria dropped the bombshell. They didn't want medical assistance, they wanted _my_ assistance."

I pause and let Bella work that one out. I don't have to wait long.

"Son of a bitch!" she exclaims, sitting up straight, practically vibrating with anger. "She didn't!"

"Oh, she did. She somehow convinced my idiot brother to push me to sleep with her… just for the baby, of course. I nearly lost it. I wanted to get Jasper alone and shake some sense into him, but that woman wouldn't leave us alone for a moment. I told them no, but they refused to listen. It was late and I was upset, so I agreed to stay the night."

"Something tells me that wasn't all."

"Hell, no. We must've gone to bed a little after one, but I couldn't sleep. That was a good thing, because a half hour later, Maria showed up. I don't know what she thought would happen, but I was beyond furious at that point. I didn't even let her enter my room. Just grabbed her arm and marched her back to Jasper's room."

"He was asleep," she guesses.

"Yup. Out like a light. So I warned her to stay the fuck away from me, and stop jerking my brother around. Then she had the fucking guts to threaten me. She said that if I ever told Jasper about that night, she'd make him hate me. I didn't bother answering her, just went back to my room. I waited a couple of hours and left before dawn, because I couldn't bear to see the two of them again."

"So that's why you were out on the road so early," she said, nodding in understanding.

"Yeah. I figured the last two weeks they've been silent, so it meant they'd dropped that insane idea of theirs, but today…"

"Well, shit," she sighs.

We are both silent for a while. Somehow, just having her near is calming me down, helping me think through the situation with a lot more clarity than I've managed so far.

"I have to talk to him," I finally say. She nods. "But without that woman around."

"Absolutely," she agrees. "Edward, she seems to be playing on your affection for your brother, and you can't let her do that anymore. She's only going to end up hurting him real bad."

I nod again. "Ok, seems like I have a task to keep me busy while I wait for you to return. I have to talk to my brother. I have to tell him everything."

"Even if you hate doing it, and even if it hurts him."

I nod again, because I know she's right. It will hurt. But it's already hurting me to see the way Maria is trying to use him. Who knows what else she's talking him into.

I squeeze her hand and kiss her softly. "I will." It's an awful situation any way I look at it, but for the first time I feel like it's going to work out.

…

The next morning, I'm not feeling so bright.

She's leaving. And though it hurts, I can't ask her to stay. I know why she needs to go, and I know I have things to take care of in the meantime.

She tosses her bag into the back of the rental and jogs back to where I'm leaning against the porch of the house.

"Take care of my chicks and send me photos every day, ok?"

I nod.

"And I'm going to want to Facetime with Jake too."

Another nod.

She tips my chin up and forces me to look her in the eye. "You better wait for me, Edward Cullen. The minute I'm done with my past, I'm coming back for my future, you got it?"

I kiss her. It's long, and deep, and says everything I need to.

And when I let go, she wipes away a tear and smiles her first genuine smile of the day. Then she gets into that car and drives away.


	6. Chapter 6: Sunshine

**6\. Sunshine**

_Four months later_

The rain seems to be gaining force; it's coming down faster than before. I sigh and rub at my chest absently. It reminds me of that morning, over four months ago. I was driving back from Jasper's that day, too, when a freak rainstorm hit.

Oh course, she hit me much harder than the rain, and that was before she had even touched me.

I draw a deep breath and release it, trying to ease the ache in my chest that appears each time I think of her. It's so strange, because thinking of her is also the only thing that truly makes me happy anymore. Sometimes, I talk to Jake about her. He barks and whines at the right places, so I think he commiserates, and he definitely doesn't judge me.

I smile slightly at the thought of the toys she sent him in the mail just yesterday. I haven't had time to give them to him yet, and he's going to go wild when he gets them. Maybe he can smell Bella's scent on them, because he treats the toys she sends differently. He plays with whatever I get him, but he fucking cherishes the stuff she sends.

Just like I cherish every text, every phone call, every picture she's sent me.

I take the bend carefully and frown, because there's someone by the side of the road waving me down. They have a ridiculous yellow umbrella and a smile so bright I can see it even through the downpour.

It's sunshine in a raincoat, and I can't believe my eyes. I bring the truck to a stop and jump out into the rain. She laughs and tries to pull me under her umbrella, but I don't care about the rain. It's really her.

"Hi," I finally say. "You're here."

"I'm here," she agrees. Her eyes are sparkling just the way I remember.

"Found what you were looking for?" I ask.

"Yes," she smiles serenely. "I found my home."

"Where was it?" I frown, because she hasn't mentioned anything in her texts or calls.

"Right here." She steps forward and lets her umbrella go. The rain soaks through her hair and clothes, and I instinctively draw her into my arms. "I realized that it wasn't my past I was seeing in my dreams, it was my future. It was you, Edward."

This kiss tastes of rainwater and promises. It tastes of forever, and of coming home. It's the kind of kiss I never want to end.

Something pushes against my chest and I step back a little.

A small white head pops up from the opening of her coat, and I can't help but laugh.

"A kitten?"

"I found the poor thing near the rental car place. I couldn't just leave it there!"

"And where's the rental car now?"

"Oh, I changed my mind. It was only a few miles and I thought I'd enjoy a walk down the country lanes."

"And you knew I was over at Jasper's and would leave early to go back," I add.

"That too," she agrees, following me to the truck and climbing in. "How's he doing now?"

"Much better. Ever since he finally broke it off with Maria, he's a different man. It's like I got my brother back."

She sighs, but it's a happy sigh. "I'm so glad. I don't think he would have liked me very much if I'd torn his girlfriend's hair out. Now I won't need to."

I throw my head back and laugh. "Yeah, you're probably right. Anything else you'd like to tell me before we go home?"

"Just that I love you," she says casually, petting the tiny kitten who's still nestled inside her coat.

"Oh, just that?" I ask, equally casual though my heart's racing. "That's good. Cause I love you too."

She blushes, and nods to the road. "Let's go home."


End file.
